If youre buying from a dealer can he not arrange export plates for you.

I am afraid that trying to do it over a weekend is impossible.

Also bear in mind a lot of work places finish at 3.00pm on friday in case this effects you.

It might be better if you fly out there and bringit back by yourself, export plates are the bear minimum insurance, yiu might be able to get some english insurance to cover you on chasisnumber once its yours, however this is also getting harder to arrange.

I have generally found that getting registrations sorted with insurance and export plates takes a good half day. You have to stand in line with everyone else and its time consuming to say the least. I have never even thought of getting it done on line, maybe it could be done, but if there is any form of hiccup then you will be in deep poopoo. Personally I would much prefer to see it through myself, checking each stage as I went along.

Also, my dealer said another UK chap arranged his own 'transit plates' and the following search showed this option, which seems acceptable but does anyone know for sure? This gives 4 days insurance from collection and full EU insurance. And it 'seems' OK.:helpsos:

1. School don't allow it.
2. My wife is very strict on not taking him out of school.
3. Taking him out of school means I need to take time off work and that could cost me more.
4. The only feasible day is a Friday and the registration offices generally close early that day.

Anyway, on balance, I've decided that online, depsite the additional cost, is worth the convenience and additional Euros.

The Transit Plate thing is tempting but there's the risk and I don't think it's worth it to save £100. Maybe worth it for others, though. If I was collecting by myself and driving through the night then I'd probably do it.

Back to the specifics, if the dealer were to do it at the registration office, does he need me there in person or just a good copy of my passport? Or does he need my actual passport?

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she doesn't even notice. Or care.

when we bought our RMB in May -private sale- the vendor did the plates on a Saturday morning for us. Cant recall what he said was a hassle but despite whatever we had our plates when we arrrived at lunchtime so it can be done
Insurance was very difficult to get. We did the return journey on those plates - 3rd party on the chassis when we landed in Dover. Couldnt get anything substantial organised without HUGE cost.

Several UK insurers will insure on the chassis number with an import until you have it registered. Am with Saga and I have done it with them a few times. Adrian Flux has also done it for me. If you have the chassis number and tell them when you are picking it up they will insure from that time. To get the export plates you will have to show insurance cover. No cover...no plates.

I bought a Merc Sprinter back in 2001. It was ordered in Germany, and brought across on transport plates.
I pick it up in the uk, with the transport plates still on it, and insured it by the chasis no.
I ran the van for nearly a year, without any real problems, best days ever !
No parking tickets, speeding fines (cameras) or any other cctv related issues.

Only registered it, when a nice police officer, on a bike, politely told me off.

It seems export plates are that in name really. There's no need for them to be declared in the UK or even once leaving Germany.

I cannot find any difference between those and transit plates other than the interpretation of certain legalities SHOULD you get pulled over. But EU insurance cover is the same and only the duration is different. i.e. transit plates are for 4 days max.

Anyway, must shake this from my mind. I've got to be sensible.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she doesn't even notice. Or care.